The 2023 Nissan Z might be the biggest thing for Nissan fans, but that only adds to the glory of its originator – the Datsun 240Z. This only means one thing, the price margins for the ancestor Z have blown out of proportion, and sooner or later, these classic bad boys will be relegated to show cars.
While spending the rest of its glory days hidden under a tarp or tucked away in fancy garages is a great way to retire, not everyone is willing to wager their joy in preservation for future generations.
Some diehard owners would rather milk out the driving spirit of the 240Z pushing its limits behind the wheel than have the classic ripper behind a glass window like some archeological dig find.
We are talking about Roberto of RAV Performance. The folks at That Racing Channel featured a client’s neat 1971 Datsun 240Z in his garage.
TRC admit it’s the cleanest 240Z they’ve ever seen, but don’t let that fool you. Under the hood, it packs nothing you’d have found back in 1969, but instead, an RB26 Nissan GT-R powerplant.
According to Roberto, this classic sports car went through a complete teardown to ensure all the rust was removed. At the end of the build, a couple of panels were swapped, and lizard skin (protector and sound deadener) was sprayed all through to preserve the body.
The suspension system also underwent an overhaul with a custom suspension package that lets you pick your choice of differential. Roberto opted for a Nissan S14 viscous LSD.
To match up the power of the RB26 powerplant, this 240Z runs an R34 GT-R transmission. For linear thrust, RAV Performance opted for Garret G35 turbos. “We weren’t trying to get this crazy spooling monster that just builds way too much torque too fast, so we picked this turbo because it lets us do a really smooth power curve,” Roberto revealed.
Jay, the owner of the 1971 Datsun 240Z has always wanted to own this classic unit. Four years ago, he bought this unit. Even though the previous owner said it was in excellent running condition, they soon realized it had a seized engine and was completely rusted out.
His only option was a complete ground-up restoration without compromising the original look.
“The goal was to make it look brand new. Everything in the car is virtually new,” Jay confessed.
This 240 is quite the looker. Props to the builders for keeping it strictly Nissan. Other than the wheels, fuel tank, and exhaust, it looks completely stock.
We recommend watching the video below for some behind-the-wheel action. The powertrain swap sounds insane.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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